Did “Human Ancestors” Survive the Dinosaur Extinction?

This new study is a great example of observational vs. historical science. The placental mammals themselves, and where they are found in the fossil record (i.e., which layer), is observational fact. We can observe that certain mammals are found in particular layers and that certain dinosaurs are likewise found in those layers. But when those layers were laid down or who the descendants of those placental mammals were are questions of historical science because we weren’t there to observe any of that!

The evolutionary view, of course, which is grounded in man’s fallible ideas about the past, is that an asteroid striking earth supposedly began a chain of events that eventually wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. And according to this new study, small placental mammals managed to hang on through the extinction and then diversified after the disappearance of the dinosaurs removed their competition—and that’s why we are here today!

The biblical view starts with the eyewitness account of history that God has given us in his Word. In this view, most fossils (including the dinosaurs and these various placental mammal kinds) were buried during the global flood of Noah’s day. The asteroid that’s claimed to have ended the age of the dinosaurs struck earth during the flood (the impact crater is in flood sediment), and while it certainly wreaked havoc, it did not wipe out the dinosaurs—two of every kind were safe onboard Noah’s ark. And those placental mammal kinds aren’t our ancestors. Two of each of their kinds were safe on the ark as well, and after the flood, these mammals got off the ark and rapidly diversified (into different species) within their kind, to fill various environments around the world.

Two different starting points—man’s word vs. God’s Word—result in two very different interpretations of the exact same evidence!

Two different starting points—man’s word vs. God’s Word—result in two very different interpretations of the exact same evidence!

Oh, and if you have more questions about dinosaurs, I encourage you to consider purchasing a new book from AiG’s Bodie Hodge, Dinosaurs, Dragons, and the Bible.

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed Monday on Answers News with cohosts Roger Patterson, Dr. Jennifer Rivera, and Jessica Jaworski. Answers News is our weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum, broadcast on our Answers in Genesis YouTube channel, and posted to Answers TV. We also covered the following topics:

• Should we stop having children because of climate change?
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• Italy makes a shocking U-turn!
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Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.